Earlier that year, the sultan of Mali had sent 300 ships to sail out to the end of the ocean. He commanded them not to return until they had run out of food or found land. When only one ship returned, the captain told the sultan that there was a powerful river-like current that swept the other ships away.

Instead of feeling discouraged by
this news, the sultan only grew
more curious. He couldn't stop thinking about all the fame and fortune he could gain from these lands. Before setting out on the expedition, the sultan selected Kankan Musa as ruler of Mali while he was away. Little did Musa know, this would be the last time anyone would ever see the sultan or his men. The sultan and his ships never returned.

Once it was clear that the sultan wasn't returning, Kankan Musa became Mansa Musa. Mansa means “king,” “emperor,” or “conqueror.” He moved his large family into the royal palace in Niani, the capital city of Mali. The palace had many rooms, offices, a headquarters, and a large courtyard with a lush garden. The king’s throne, forged from hard black ebony and elephant ivory tusks, sat at the far end of  the courtyard. This was where the royal court held its sessions and traditional ceremonies. When visitors came from distant kingdoms, audiences gathered to watch. A servant would hold a large umbrella over the king’s head to shield him from the hot sun while others fanned him. Mansa Musa and his royal nobles carried weapons crafted from solid gold.

Mansa Musa, who had a fond love for music, had drummers and musicians follow him whenever he went out into public spaces. He never had to give speeches or speak for himself, for a herald or a chief spokesperson did that for him. Griots, who were oral historians and storytellers, also followed Mansa Musa. They were an important part of the king’s life because they memorized every major event that took place. In modern times, they would be considered walking encyclopedias! In his twenty-five years as king, Mansa Musa became known as the ruler who brought Mali into its golden age.

Although Mansa Musa was a member of the royal family and a descendant of Sundiata Keita (founder of the Mali Empire), he was not the heir to the throne, nor was his father or grandfather. If the sultan hadn't disappeared, Mansa Musa would not have become king!

This carved a lucrative way for cultural, architectural, and economic developments.

Under Mansa Musa’s reign, the Mali Empire grew abundant in gold, salt, and agricultural trade. Mali’s most profitable trade routes were the salt mines of  Taghaza and the gold mines of Wangara. Salt is important because it not only helps to preserve food, it is also essential for human metabolism. Believe it or not, we need salt to survive! With Mali having such high in-demand goods, people from many nations wanted in. Traders came from Europe, Persia, India, and China with silks, spices, tools, and horses. They would exchange their goods for Mali’s precious resources. Mansa Musa set a tax on every batch of goods sold in the markets, which increased the wealth of Mali’s economy. It didn’t take long for the empire to grow rich and prosperous, for their commodities were high in value.

It is said that he had 8,000 soldiers, selected from his army of 100,000, and 12,000 slaves. Five hundred of these slaves carried bars of gold. There were also 80 camels, and each carried a 300-pound sack of gold on their humps. Mansa Musa's wife, Inari Kunate, came along as well and brought 500 female servants. Before Mansa left for his pilgrimage, he chose his son, Magha, as the ruler of Mali while he was gone.

Over the span of a year, Mansa Musa led his people across West Africa to the Sahara Desert. They made stops in towns along the way to build mosques and stock up on supplies. During their long journey, Mansa provided his people with everything they needed. After many months, they finally reached Cairo, Egypt. Upon arrival, onlookers couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed at Mansa Musa and his lavish caravan. Some say that his entourage was so long and wide, it almost took a whole day for them to pass through. Mansa Musa, bearing gold, was expecting a warm welcome from the ruler of Cairo. Instead, tensions arose between him and the sultan Al-Malik an-Nasir of the Mamelukes. It began when the sultan stated that all visitors who came to meet him must first bow down and kiss the ground where he stood.

When Mansa Musa refused, this created a moment of strife between the people of Cairo and the people of Mali. But after Mansa’s herald spoke to him, he gave in to the rule of bowing down, but only in the name of God. Mansa Musa was then granted access to the royal palace of Cairo, where he and his people stayed for a few months. Before Mansa Musa had arrived in Cairo, the Mali Empire was fairly unknown to the world. His extraordinary journey put Mali on the map, literally.

On the 14th century Catalan Atlas, Mansa Musa is shown holding a golden nugget and a royal scepter. This famous map showed just how famous Mansa Musa and his wealth had become in Europe.

After Mansa Musa’s stay in Cairo, he journeyed to Arabia to visit Mecca. Inspired by the architecture, scholars, and scientists he met, Mansa decided to bring some home to Niani. On his way back, he went through the newly conquered cities of Timbuktu and Gao. He had his men build large settlements, universities, mosques, and trading markets. During Mansa Musa’s reign, Timbuktu was a large, cultural city, drawing visitors from places like Venice and Genoa.

It remained a popular center for intellectuals and had one of the largest universities in Africa. The University of Timbuktu’s library was similar in size to the library in Alexandria. After the long journey, Mansa Musa then returned to Niani, where his people greeted him cheerfully. He continued to rule Mali until his death, and his son Magha became the new emperor.